Spotlight on Male Athlete Mental Health During National Men’s Health Awareness Month

in Athlete Mental Health on by Misty Buck
Spotlight on Male Athlete Mental Health During National Men's Health Awareness Month | Male holding a football

Image by Cindy Parks from Pixabay

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As the world places a spotlight on mental health during National Men’s Health Awareness Month in June, it’s crucial to address the unique challenges faced by male athletes. Although conversations about mental health in athletics are becoming more acceptable, it’s still often overlooked or not properly addressed.

Understanding Mental Health in Male Athletes

According to Mental Health America: 

  • Depression: Over 6 million men suffer from depression each year, yet often go undiagnosed. Men are more likely to report symptoms like fatigue (e.g., “I’m tired”), loss of interest in work or hobbies, rather than feelings of sadness or worthlessness.
  • Anxiety: Approximately 19.1 American adults ages 18 to 54 have an anxiety disorder. In particular, 3,020,000 men have a panic disorder, agoraphobia, or other phobia. 
  • Bipolar Disorder: The age of onset for men is between 16 and 25 years old. An equal amount of men and women develop the illness with statistics showing that 2.3 million Americans are affected. 
  • Psychosis and Schizophrenia: Ninety percent of people who are diagnosed with schizophrenia by age 30 are men. 
  • Eating Disorders: Roughly 10% of patients with anorexia or bulimia are men and an estimated 35% of those with a binge-eating disorder. However, men are less likely than women to seek professional help for an eating disorder.

In addition to various mental health risk factors, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, better known as CTE, is a prevalent problem. A 2023 report published by Boston University’s CTE Center found “345 former NFL players with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) out of 376 former players studied (91.7 percent).” The report goes on to caution, “The NFL player data should not be interpreted to suggest that 91.7 percent of all current and former NFL players have CTE, as brain bank samples are subject to selection biases. The prevalence of CTE among NFL players is unknown as CTE can only be definitively diagnosed after death.” 

Statistics aside, everyone struggles with mental health. You don’t have to be diagnosed with a mental illness to deserve to get help. Major life events like finances, stress, grief, transition/retirement, and more can cause anyone to spiral.

Signs of Mental Health Issues in Men

Some men may display symptoms of mental health issues differently than women. This is not to say that all men or genders experience mental health disorders in the same way. However, some common symptoms often occur. 

As noted by the National Institute on Mental Health, some common symptoms of mental disorders and conditions in men include:

  • Anger, irritability, or aggressiveness
  • Noticeable changes in mood, energy level, or appetite
  • Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
  • Difficulty concentrating, feeling restless, or on edge
  • Increased worry or feeling stressed
  • Misuse of alcohol, drugs, or both
  • Persistent sadness or feelings of hopelessness
  • Feeling flat or having trouble feeling positive emotions
  • Engaging in high-risk activities
  • Aches, headaches, or digestive problems without a clear cause
  • Obsessive thinking or compulsive behavior
  • Thoughts or behaviors that interfere with work, family, or social life
  • Thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts

How to Talk to Men About Mental Health

You might hear a man say, “I’m fine,” but maybe there is more going on. The men I’ve worked with and supported over the years have often hidden their true feelings because they feel like they have to carry all problems on their shoulders. There is a stigma that they need to be strong for everyone around them. So, they keep their struggles to themselves to keep up appearances, and also because they have learned that is what they are supposed to do. 

Take clues from how they speak and act. For example, they might tell you flat out, “I’m tired.” This may be their way of saying I’m not doing well. If you hear a phrase like this one several times, ask more questions. 

I have had both, male clients and friends who have told me they are tired, and later revealed that they struggled with depression and even suicidal thoughts. Some could just be tired, or there could be more to the story.

Here are some tips for talking to men about their mental health: 

  • Ask them to do an activity with you. Men often feel more comfortable opening up and talking while doing an activity like playing cards, golfing, working out, fishing, working on a project, etc. It feels less confrontational than a face-to-face discussion.
  • Acknowledge their experience. “It’s understandable that you’re tired. You’ve been going through a lot.”
  • Listen. When they talk, just listen. Don’t worry so much about a solution unless they ask for your help. Sometimes, just being an open ear is enough to build trust and help lessen the burden.
  • Ask different ways. Try asking a couple of different ways to get them to open up. You can say something like, “I notice that you have a lot going on. How are you doing?” If they reply with something like “I’m fine,” you can try to open up the conversation another way. You might say something to let them know you understand and are open to talking about a shared experience like, “I know when I went through something similar, I had a really hard time sleeping.” 
  • Provide words of affirmation. Saying things like, “I’m proud of you” or “you did a great job” can go a long way in lifting someone up.
  • Check in. You don’t have to wait for signs that someone is struggling to reach out. Some people hide their problems and will never let anyone know that they are suffering. Check-in on the people in your circle. The Pro Football HOFer Walter Jones created an annual day on September 6 called “96 CHECK” for this very reason.

Male Athletes Who Broke The Silence on Their Mental Health

Several prominent athletes have courageously shared their mental health battles, helping to break the stigma. Still, sharing a mental health struggle is personal, and many athletes respectfully choose not to go public with their battles. Although courageous and impactful, is not whether a person goes public about their mental health problems that matter the most; what matters is that the athlete seeks help.

Here are just a few of the male athletes who have spoken about their mental health struggles so far in 2024: 

Joe Burrow, NFL Quarterback 

Joe Burrow opened up about his mental health struggles following an injury. In an article that appeared on CBSSports.com, he says:

“Whenever the injuries start to stack up, your football mortality kind of comes into the back of your mind. So, that’s definitely something I’ve thought about and something I have had to fight through.”

Wyndham Clark, professional golfer on the PGA Tour

Golf is known to be an often lonely and mentally demanding sport. Wyndham Clark recently spoke about this in an interview with BBC Sports. 

“The unfortunate thing for what we do is it is so lonely and it’s very difficult.

“I’ve been in many low spots where you have some negative thoughts which you don’t ever want to have.”

In the article, Clark talks about learning to manage expectations as part of his mental well-being. 

“Too often players, including myself, get tied up so much in score and outcome, and the game of golf is so frustrating and so hard.”

“There are those really lonely times when you miss the cut, you throw your clubs in the car, you drive off, and you’re [angry].

“On TV they typically show the guys playing great, the game seems awesome. In reality, I’d say 80% of the field storms off after a lot of the rounds.

“That’s just the nature of our game. That’s why it is such a mental game. I’ve learned that there are so many different skill levels out here, and the difference between the guys that really make it and enjoy the game have a long career, they’re just better mentally than everyone.”

Lionel Messi, Soccer Player

Lionel Messi is no stranger to the spotlight as one of the most famous athletes in the world. He recently shared about his mental health struggles and how a psychologist helped him.

Jamaal Charles, NFL Running Back

Former Kansas City Chiefs running back, Jamaal Charles, was a guest on the Second Acts Podcast, where he spoke candidly about his retirement from the game and his mental health. The episode was also shared on ChiefsWire. 

“I basically went into a dark side. No one came forward to guide me through the transition to life after football. I went to work with investment people, and it didn’t go well. I started losing money, so I started becoming very depressed and suicidal. Still trying to find my way going through that situation and transition. It was hard for me because I didn’t know who to lean on or where the help was coming from.”

He goes on to say, “I talked to a therapist to talk about suicidal thoughts, talk about the hard times. At the time, I was still in therapy, and I still am today.”

Mental Health Support for Athletes

Most organizations now have mental health clinicians, counselors, and programs. However, if you are a retired athlete, you may no longer have access to that individual. Secondly, some athletes are not comfortable with speaking to organizational resources out of fear of broken confidentiality and retaliation that could affect their careers. 

Still, there is mental health support widely available for athletes. These include:

  • Player alumni benefits
  • Sports psychologists and counselors who specialize in the athlete experience in and out of sports
  • Mental health coaches

Admitting you need support, and then taking the steps to ask for it and show up, might be the hardest thing you do. It takes a lot of courage to admit when you’re not okay, which is something that many men struggle with. Think about it this way, asking for help doesn’t mean you’re weak; it means you’re a fighter. Never stop fighting for yourself.

In a crisis? Call or text 988.